Brooder construction



Nov. 24, 1942. D, H, H|| ET AL 2,302,860

" BRooDER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 2, 1940 -HLT 1NVENTOR5- Patented Nov.24, 1942 BROODER CONSTRUCTION Dewey H. Hill and Donald B. Tolley,Macomb, lll.,

assignors to Globe American Corporation, Kokomo, Ind., a corporationApplication November 2, 1940, Serial No. 363,966

(Cil. 119-33) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a brooder construction for chicks of the typewhich is electrically heated to maintain an evenly controlled temper..ature.

One feature of the invention resides in the provision of means forretaining a relatively large volume of preheated fresh air within thebrooder canopy in heat exchange relation with air in the broodercompartment proper. Heretofore attempts have been made to preheatincoming fresh air by conducting the same through a conduit within thecanopy before discharge to the brooder compartment. Such conduitshowever have relatively small cubic capacity and surface area and sincethe air passes therethrough at a fairly rapid rate, the amount ofpreheating which can be secured is very small. In the present inventionthe upper portion of the canopy proper is partitioned olf to form areservoir of fresh air communicating with the outside atmosphere. Thepartition is made of relatively thin sheet metal and the surface area ofthe partition is much greater than the area of conduits heretofore inuse. The rate of heat transfer from the brooder compartment proper tothe fresh air in the reservoir is therefore relatively rapid and thefresh air may be introduced into the brooder compartment atsubstantially the same temperature as that of the brooder compartmentprop er. The fact that the fresh air reservoir is of relatively largecapacity compared to the volume of fresh air used in a given timeinsures that the fresh air remains in the reservoir long enough to bethoroughly preheated.

Another result of this construction is the fact that substantially allof the heat units transmitted to the air in the fresh air reservoir inthe upper part cf the canopy are conveyed back into the broodingcompartment and are thus put to effective use.

Another feature of the invention resides in the particular arrangementof apparatus by means of which the air in the brooder compartment isrecirculated an-d the fresh air is mixed therewith.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a central sectional View, with one corner shown in elevation,of a brooder constructed in accordance with the preferred form of theinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar View on a larger scale of the Ventilatingfan and associated parts. Fig. 3 is a similar view on an enlarged scaleof a fresh air inlet valve.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawing there isprovi-ded a canopy or roof I0 which is preferably of pyramidal form butmay have a conical or other form if desired. Brackets II are secured tothe corners of the roof and have adjustably secured thereto legs I2.Said legs are secured to the brackets by wing bolts I3 and suitableopenings I4 are provided in the brackets for the wing bolts at severaldifferent elevations. Thus the canopy I0 may be supported above thefloor at suitable levels. A curtain I5 which may be formed of anysuitable material is secured about the lower edges of the canopy I0 andhangs downwardly to a desired level above the floor.

At the peak of the canopy I0 there is provided an inlet opening I6having a suitable closure I'I secured to a screw I8 threaded in a nut I9secured to a spider 29 within the opening IB, The flow of air throughopening I6 may be adjusted by means of a knob I8A secured to the screwI8. A spring 2| interposed between the knob and the spider maintains theparts under stress and prevents undesired movement thereof.

A partition plate 22 has its edges secured by screws 23 to the roof l0at a level substantially nearer to the lower edge than to the peak ofthe roof. The partition plate divides the space beneath the canopy intoan upper preheatingr compartment 24 and a lower brooding compartment 25.The central portion of the partition plate is downwardly dished toincrease the volume of the preheatng compartment and to increase theheat transfer area of said partition. The partition plate is formed ofrelatively thin sheet metal to provide the maximum rate of heattransfer. The interior of the canopy I0 below the partition plate islined by a layer of insulating material 21 and the portion of Saidcanopy above said partition plate may be similarly insulated if'desired.

An air conduit 28 is supported at the center of the partition plate 22and extends downwardly a considerable distance into the brooder chamber25. At the lower end of said conduit there is supported a fan housing 29in turn supporting a motor 39 adapted to drive a centrifuf gal impeller3| within the housing 29. Openings 32 are provided in the conduit 28beneath the partition plate 22 to permit entrance of warm air from thebrooder chamber for recirculation. The housing 29 is also provided witha lower inlet opening 33 through which air may be drawn from the lowerpart of the brooding chamber.

An electric heater 34 is supported from the partition plate 22 about thefan housing 29 in such position that the air discharged from the fanpasses over the surface of the heater. A thermostat 35 arranged forexterior adjustment by means of a knob 36 is provided to control theoperation of the heater 34 in a well known manner. An attachment plug 31which may be inserted in any common form of power supply receptacle isconnected by suitable electrical con nections 38 to supply power for theheater and for the motor 3).

In the operation of the apparatus thus described air is circulatedthrough the brooder by the fan in the paths indicated by arrows in Fig.l and is heated by the heater 3l'. under control of the thermostat tomaintain an even temperature. As air escapes beneath the curtain I5 itis replaced by warm fresh air drawn from the preheating compartment 24.The fan thus supplies to the brooding compartment a mixture of warm airtaken from the lower level of the brooder compartment through the inletopening 33, warm air taken from the upper part of the broodercompartment through the openings 32 and thoroughly preheated fresh airtaken from the preheating compartment 24. The rate of supply of freshair may be controlled by means of the adjustment of the closure Il. Thelarge volume of fresh air contained in the compartment 24, therelatively large area of the partition 22 and the fact that saidpartition is exposed to the warmest part of the air in the broodercompartment ensure thorough preheating of the fresh air before it isdelivered to the brooding compartment.

The invention has been described in one of its preferred forms, thedetails of which may be varied without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A brooder construction having a side wall arrangementl and anupwardly and inwardly directed canopy connected thereto terminating inan air inlet opening at its upper end, heat transferring partition meansdished centrally and downwardly and having a central openingtherethrough, the partition central opening being in a plane adjacentthe plane including the side wall and canopy connection and thepartition-canopy connection being appreciably above that plane, butbelow the top half of the canopy to form a large volume preheatingchamber above the partition forming the lower brooder compartment, thepreheating chamber having a relatively large under surface for exposureto heated air in the top of the brooder compartment, a tube dependingfrom the partition and registering with the opening therein, the tubehaving air intake openings immediately adjacent the partition andappreciably below the extreme uppermost portion of the broodercompartment, the tube being open at opposite ends, a depending fan andmotor unit beneath the tube and including a fan housing for the fan, thehousing including a lateral discharge between its ends and to thecentral portion of the brooder compartment, the 1ower end of the housingincluding an air inlet arrangement below the fan and communicating withthe brooder compartment for brooder compartment lower central airstagnation prevention, the upper end of the housing communicating withthe lower end of the tube, and heating means enveloping the housing andpositioned for the fan discharged air to pass by the same for airheating,

the brooder compartment hot air from the uppermost part of saidcompartment, drawn by the fan into the tube intake openings, movinginwardly and downwardly from higher elevations along the under face ofthe partition for heating same prior to entrance into the tube by way ofthe intake openings.

2. A brooder construction having a side wall arrangement and an upwardlyand inwardly directed canopy connected thereto terminating in an airinlet opening at its upper end, heat transferring partition means dishedcentrally and downwardly and having a central opening therethrough, thepartition central opening being in a plane adjacent the plane includingthe side wall and canopy connection and the partition-canopy connectionbeing appreciably above that plane, but below the top half of the canopyto form a large volume preheating chamber above the partition formingthe lower brooder compartment, the preheating chamber having arelatively large under surface for exposure to heated air in the top ofthe brooder compartment, a ltube depending from the partition andregistering with the opening therein, the tube having air intakeopenings immediately adjacent the partition and appreciably below theextreme uppermost portion of the brooder compartment, the tube beingopen at opposite ends, a depending fan and motor unit beneath the tubeand including a fan housing for the fan, the housing including a lateraldischarge between its ends and to the central portion of the broodercompartment, the upper end of the housing communicating with the 1owerend of the tube, and heating means enveloping the housing and positionedfor the fan discharged air to pass by the same for air heating. thebrooder compartment hot air from the uppermost part of said compartment,drawn by the fan into the tube intake openings, moving inwardly anddownwardly from higher elevations along the under face of the partitionfor heating same prior to entrance into the tube by way of the intakeopenings, and adjustable valve means for the canopy intake opening forregulating the proportions of recirculated air and preheated airdischarged by the fan, and of baille plate type for directing cold freshair laterally toward the under side of the upper part of the canopy.

3. A brooder construction having a side wall arrangement and an upwardlyand inwardly directed canopy connected thereto terminating in an airinlet opening at its upper end, heat transferring partition means dishedcentrally and downwardly and having a central opening therethrough, thepartition central opening being in a plane adjacent the plane includingthe side wall and canopy connection and the partition-canopy connectionbeing appreciably above that plane, but below the top half of the canopyto form a large volume preheating chamber above the partition, formingthe lower brooder compartment, the preheating chamber having arelatively large under surface for exposure to heated air in the top ofthe brooder compartment, a tube depending from the partition andregistering with the opening therein, the tube having air intakeopenings immediately adjacent the partition and appreciably below theextreme uppermost portion of the brooder compartment, the tube beingopen at opposite ends, a depending fan and motor unit beneath the tubeand including a fan housing for the fan, the housing including a lateraldischarge between its ends and to the central portion of the broodercompartment, the lower end of the housing including an air inletarrangement below the fan and communicating with the broeder compartmentfor brooder compartment lower central air stagnation prevention, theupper end of the housing communicating with the lower end of the tube,and heating means enveloping the housing and positioned for the fandischarged air to pass by the same for air heating, the broodercompartment hot air from the uppermost part of said compartment, drawnby the fan into the tube intake openings, moving inwardly and downwardlyfrom higher elevations along the under face of the partition for heatingsame prior to entrance into the tube by way of the intake openings, andadjustable valve means for the canopy intake opening for regulating theproportions of recirculated air and preheated air discharged by the fanand of baille plate type for directing cold fresh air laterally towardthe under side of the upper part of the canopy.

DONALD B. TOLLEY. DEWEY H. HILL.

